Until You Come Back to Me Again
by MoonlightUsa
Summary: [AU] Usagi and Mamoru grew close, growing up together in the local orphanage, never wanting to each others side. But after Usagi gets into a life altering accident and Mamoru is adopted, will the two reconnect after years of separation?
1. Chapter 1

Until You Come Back to me Again 

Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time

Rated PG-13

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine. Sailor Moon and all the characters within the series belongs to Naoko Tacheuchi ... got to love that woman xD

Summery: (A/U) Usagi and Mamoru grew close, growing up together in the local orphanage, never wanting to each others side. But after Usagi gets into a life-altering accident and Mamoru is adopted, will the two reconnect after years of separation?

---

The orange sun hung low in the sky as it shined its last rays of the day over the town of Juuban, the wind lightly blowing through the trees, leaves dancing to the silent melody. The sky was a mix of oranges, pinks, blues, and reds as the night began to creep over, yet the sounds of children's laughter could be heard over the night that was threatening the daylight.

"Stop, Mamo-chan, it tickles!" squeaked a young girl no more than eleven years old as the pollen of the white daisy brushed itself on the tip of her nose.

"Gee, Usako, everything tickles you," slumped the sapphire eyed thirteen-year-old, strumming his fingers on his knee as he played with the freshly picked flower. He looked back to the girl, her blonde hair falling freely from the two buns on the top of her head, stopping just below her shoulders. Her cornflower blue eyes sparkled as she looked back into his sapphire eyes, a spark flickering the connection between the two.

"Ne, Mamo-chan, when we are old enough and get out of here, will we be together forever?" she asked as she picked a blade of grass, admiring its shade of green. She felt a fist rest on her head, rubbing it playfully.

"If course we will," he laughed as he stared out to the setting sun. "Once you turn sixteen and I'll be eighteen, we'll be out of here, we'll be together." He felt a cool damp piece of material touch his wrist, only to look down to hee her tie on a multicolored hand-crafted bracelet.

"Promise?" she said once she tired the knot, smiling gently. She sighed as he hugged her, then snuggled next to her as they watched the sun set.

"I promise. Come on, let's go back in before Mitsuki-san scolds us for being outside after dark."

The two children stood up and walked back into the large building, its cold, lonely atmosphere slightly putting a damper on the two as they pushed open the large door of the Juuban Children's Orphanage.

---

"Usagi," Mamoru spoke, flustered as he crossed his arms, "You're supposed to block the ball, not let it roll past!"

"I know, but you kick it so hard!" she whined as the other children laughed.

"I can't help that I'm a natural at soccer," Mamoru playfully shouted as she stuck her tongue out at him, then turned around and jogged after the soccer ball as it rolled out of the front walls of the building. "Be right back!" she shouted.

"Hurry up, Usako!" Mamoru called out as he watched her run into the road after the ball.

Usagi picked up the ball, and then time stood still. Mamoru froze in horror as a ocean blue sports car raced down the street, not slowing down as Usagi walked turned around holding the ball. Usagi turned her head as she heard something coming, then screamed as she saw the car wasn't slowing down. She didn't even have a chance to run before she was struck down, the ball once in her hand bouncing down the road. She fell back on the pavement, smacking her head, when suddenly everything went black around her. She laid on the pavement motionless, blood slowly starting to stain the ground.

"Usako!" Mamoru cried as he ran out to her body, instantly kneeling by her side. He gently brushed his fingers against her cheek, hoping for a response.

"Usagi . . . Usagi . . . wake up! Come on!" he shouted. He looked up to see a man wobbling in his steps as he picked himself up after falling out of the car, eyeing the accident that just occurred.

"Shit," he slurred, his bloodshot eyes starring down at the two of them. Mamoru looked up, a fire in his eyes as he slammed the man against his car.

"Look at what you've done, you bastard!" he shouted. The man looked back at the girl, unconscious on the ground, then back to the furious teen. He then wiggled his way out of Mamoru's grasp and darted down the road. About to chase after him, Mamoru turned around to see Mitsuki, the woman in charge of the orphanage, kneeling at Usagi's side. Mamoru stood there, feeling numb as he looked at Usagi, the blood staining her blonde hair, the glow of her cheerful self subsided as she lay limp, her smile hidden away. He could hear sirens in the background; he watched as they carefully lifted her on a stretcher and took her away, but it felt like he wasn't in tune with the reality of the situation. As the sound of the sirens diminished, he looked around the scene of the accident before shoving his hands in his pocket and walked back behind the concrete walls of the orphanage gate. He walked over to the side of the building and slouched down, starring at the dirt, Usagi's high-pitched scream echoing through his mind combining with the wailing of the sirens. The noises running through his mind finally caused him to snap; he screamed as he sank his head between his knees, feeling utterly and completely alone. He had been at this orphanage since he was five years old, when fate was cruel and took his parents life on his birthday. For five years at this orphanage he was bitter and isolated until his tenth birthday when his eyes diverted to a blonde haired girl with funny pig tails, her eyes beat red. She stood next to Mitsuki, then was alone as Mitsuki left the room with two other adults. He watched as she clutched on tightly to the stuffed cat and slouch in a corner, her cries muffled as she held the cat closer. He stood up and walked over to her, looking down at her. She looked up at him with her tear stained blue eyes, then looked back down at her cat.

"Your hair looks funny," Mamoru bluntly stated. "It looks like spaghetti and meatballs."

She looked back up at him, her eyes angry. "Shaddup. My Mommy did this hairstyle for me."

Mamoru sank down next to her, causing her to inch away. "Where is your Mommy?" he asked softly. This caused her to twitch, then choke a sob.

"He killed her," she whispered softly, her face paling. "Fuji-papa killed her."

Mamoru diverted his eyes from her to the ground as she began to cry again, holding on even tighter to the stuffed cat. He looked at the faded black cat, which had a crescent moon on its forehead.

"I like your cat, he said as he poked it. She looked back up at him, then quietly replied "Her name is Luna." Mamoru nodded his head in acknowledgment, then looked back at the ground.

"My name is Usagi," she said softly. He looked back at her and smiled.

"Mines' Mamoru."

---

It felt like hours had gone by when Mamoru retreated back to his bed in the boy's bedroom; he sat at the edge of his bed as he rested his hands on his lap. His thoughts were interrupted as he heard someone call his name.

"Mamoru?" a tall brunette woman spoke as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. She was Akiko-san, Mitsuki's younger sister who helped out at the orphanage frequently. "Mitsuki sent for me to bring you to the hospital. She knows how you and Usagi are best friends." Mamoru nodded as he stood up, then followed behind Akiko. They got into her car, the ride silent up to the hospital. Ten minutes later she pulled up at the doors to the front of the building, then broke the silence.

"I have to get back to the orphanage, so I'll let you off here. They're in building three, fourth floor, room 406." With that, Mamoru said a quiet goodbye, then exited the automobile. He looked at the large glass doors, took a deep breath, and walked in. The atmosphere was chaotic; there were doctors running around, sick children crying, senior citizens in wheelchairs. He looked around before finding a sign that read "Building Three," then headed in that direction. He quickly made it into the hallway of the building, then headed toward the elevator. He hit the button with the arrow directing upwards, then patiently waited until the large doors opened. He walked into the lift, pushed the button titled "four," then felt it slowly being pulled up as the lights signified which floor they were on. In no time the door reopened, in which Mamoru walked off and looked at the room numbers. Soon enough he reached Usagi's room, which he slowly and quietly walked in.

Her body laid completely still under a thin blanket. She was in a pale blue hospital gown, her arms laying at her side. She had an IV in her right hand, her nose a respirator tube. Her hair was falling freely as it was taken out of her buns while a large white band was wrapped around her forehead. He looked over at Mitsuki, who was stroking her bangs, then sat down.

"Mamoru," Mitsuki softly spoke, looking up from Usagi. "I have news on Usagi's condition." She paused as she noted his pale face and terrified eyes as he stared at her still body, then softly continued on. "They say she hit her head hard when the car hit her. They said that her memories will most likely be gone, that she will have to start back at square one." He didn't flinch as the news slapped him in the face, rather his eyes stayed focused on her body.

"Square one?" he quietly asked, "No memories whatsoever?"

"A ninety-five percent chance," she softly replied. Suddenly the melody of a ringing phone interrupted the uneasy silence, causing Mitsuki to quietly leave the room. Mamoru slowly switched chairs, then ran his fingers down her cheek. He stayed silent as he looked at her fragile body, one false move and she might break. The door opened moments later, Mitsuki leaning against the door panel.

"Mamoru, it's time to go back," Mitsuki spoke, her voice echoing into the silent room. Mamoru brushed Usagi's bangs away as he took one last look, then stood up and walked over to Mitsuki.

---

Back at the orphanage, Mamoru was led into a large room by Mitsuki. He stood as he admired the room, never seeing it once before. Mitsuki walked behind the desk and sat down, and then gestured Mamoru to sit in the chair across from her.

"Of all days..." Mitsuki said under her breath, then sat up as she held a folder in her hands.

"Mamoru," she began, "Do you remember Mr. and Mrs. Chiba?" she asked, opening the folder and fingering through the photos.

"Yes," he spoke. A few weeks ago, he went out for the afternoon with the mid-aged couple. They took him to a professional soccer game after hearing his passion for the sport, then took him out for a pizza. He had a lot of fun that day, but no one usually took a second chance at him.

"As you know," Mitsuki began, "The Chiba's were unable to bare children and have been looking to adopt for years, mainly interested in a young teen. They are very well off money-wise, so they can put you in the best schools in a great neighborhoo–"

"What?" Mamoru interrupted, dumbfounded.

"Mamoru... they want to adopt you. They want to take you home tonight as a matter of fact."

"What about Usagi?" he asked, his face paling. "I won't go anywhere without her!" he shouted.

"Mamoru!" Mitsuki scolded. "Another family is looking to take her in once she recovers, she may be leaving as well."

"No!" he shouted angrily, heading towards the doors. "You can't separate us, I won't let you, especially now!" He opened the door, then quickly slammed it as he darted to the front of the building, exiting through the large doors. He ran out of the orphanage gates into the dreary evening, rain clouds forming. As he ran into the district, the rain came down, thoroughly drenching him. A good forty -five minutes later, he arrived back at the hospital, then ran into the doors. He ran until he reached Usagi's room, her condition still the same. He walked over to her and looked down, tears forming in his youthful eyes. Usagi... his best friend, the girl he wants to spend forever with... how could he part from her?

_"Once she recovers, she may be leaving as well."_

Mitsuki's words echoed in the back of his mind as he realized that she, too, could have a family. She deserved a comfy bed, to go to a good school, parents who would love her... even if he stayed here, would she? And if she did, would it be fair, growing up in an orphanage until she was sixteen?

"Mamoru?" a soft voice rang through the room. Mamoru turned around, seeing a short black haired woman standing in the doorway. She wore a brown raincoat, holding a pink umbrella in her hand. She took a few steps towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"She's my best friend," he softly spoke. "She was struck by a car, and when she wakes up she may not remember me," he choked out. With saying that, his eyes widened as he felt the woman's arms embrace him softly, stroking his damp hair.

"It's okay to be sad," she whispered, able to see the pain in his eyes. With the mix of her warmth and caring voice, he softly began to cry. He knew he had to go, that it was fate to walk away with this family. He looked up to see a man with greying black hair and glasses holding two blue umbrellas. He backed out of her arms, then looked back at Usagi. He hovered over her as he bent over and kissed her forehead, then whispered in her ear:

"Wait for me, Usagi. I will find you, I promise."

With that, Mamoru turned around and faced the Chiba's. He walked over to them as Mrs. Chiba placed her arm around his shoulder as Mr. Chiba handed him a brand new umbrella, then the three of them walked out of the hospital into the rainstorm, heading back to the orphanage one last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Until You Come Back to me Again

Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time

Rated PG-13

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine. Sailor Moon and all the characters within the series belongs to Naoko Tacheuchi ... got to love that woman xD

Summery: (A/U) Usagi and Mamoru grew close, growing up together in the local orphanage, never wanting to each others side. But after Usagi gets into a life-altering accident and Mamoru is adopted, will the two reconnect after years of separation?

-------

Seven years had passed.

The years treated Mamoru well, many would argue. When the Chiba's adopted Mamoru, they brought him back to their home, which was located in Hiroshima, quite the distance away from Juuban. It was his first experience ever being on a bullet train, bringing him away from everything he had ever known. They lived in a penthouse on the top floor of a fancy apartment complex; the interior and the merchandise inside showing that this family was quite well off financially. When they first opened up the door to Mamoru's room, it had a queen sized bed with navy sheets, a down comforter, and multiple pillows (a luxury he had never seen before except on the television), a television set with a VCR/DVD combo set as well as a brand new Play Station system, a cherry wood desk in the corner with a brand new computer as well as textbooks, stacks of papers, writing utensils, and many other basic office supplies. In his room hung a school uniform to the Hiroshima Institute of Technology Junior High School, a prestigious school that if you continued through their senior year, would insure your chances of getting into college. Even though Mamoru was spoiled, he never took anything for granted. Living a life where luxury was to a minimum for so long kept his outlook on life positive, and to never take anything for granted. It had taken him a while to adjust to the living situations; calling the Chiba's "Mom" and "Dad" was difficult for months, but finally became native to his tongue as the years passed. He loved his parents and owed them so much, this he knew.

There wasn't a day where Mamoru didn't think of Usagi; where she was, how she was doing, if she was healthy, but most of all, if she remembered him. To this day he still wore the promise bracelet, the once vibrant colors now faded as it had never been removed from his wrist, not once. Throughout Junior High and even on to Senior High, he never looked at another woman in any other way than as a friend, for his heart was dedicated only to Usagi. And with every passing day, the desire to find her and spend the rest of his life with her only grew stronger.

Mamoru, now twenty years old, stood outside Tokyo University, textbooks in hand as he walked through the campus for his third year at this University. His promising grades and his ambition to practice medicine won him a scholarship, an accomplishment that he took pride in. Since Usagi's accident, he wanted to be able to help people in the same situation as her; he wanted to become a doctor. With time and his volunteer work he did at the local orphanage, his love for children encouraged him to become a pediatrician. Many were impressed with Mamoru's set goals, and he hoped that one day, Usagi would be proud of him as well.

--------------

"Mamoru, over here!"a male voice rung over the bustling noises of the café. Mamoru looked up to see his friend, Ryo, waving him over to a table of five or six people, sitting around with burgers and pop.

"Hey Ryo, everyone," he nodded as he pulled up a seat. Sitting at the table was Ryo, Ryo's "girlfriend" Mika, Yuuichiro, Urawa, Miki, and Saria, friends that he met throughout years. Ryo, Yuuichiro, and Urawa were on the University's soccer team; actually, how he met them was by soccer. In his 3rd year of Senior High he was brushing up on his Physics when a soccer ball was kicked in his general direction. He looked up to see Ryo asking him to throw it back, then Mamoru glared back down to the ball. Ever since Usagi's accident he couldn't bring himself to play soccer, but as he stared at the round ball, the childhood love of the game coursed through his veins. He placed the book down, put his foot on the ball, then from the far distance, kicked the ball with all his might. The ball flew past Ryo, Urawa, and landed in the net behind Yuuichiro, their jaws dropping that the speed, velocity, and accuracy of that kick. They invited Mamoru to play a game with him, and even though he kept turning them down, the excitement finally won him over and he played the rest of the night with the guys. They were so impressed at Mamoru's soccer abilities that they asked him to join the HIT Varsity team and were thoroughly disappointed when he easily declined. When they asked why, he simply said his studies took priority, and left it at that.

"Mamoru, did you hear they have an opening on the team?" Yuuichiro laughed. "You should join!"

"Come on, Yuuichiro, you know every time we ask him we get the same answer. Doctor Chiba won't play with us!" he mock whined.

"Why doesn't he play?" asked Miki, the freshman college girl confused by his silene and lack of enthusiasm.

"Who knows," Ryo said as he leaned back, Saria wrapping her arms around his torso. "All I know is that he won't play with us except on very rare occasions, and I'm telling you, he's better than anyone I know."

"Just let it go, guys," a voice piped up above the small group, another person joining their table. His green eyes stared into the eyes of Ryo as he nodded and dropped the subject, then smiled over at Mamoru. Mamoru nodded, silently thanking the blonde haired friend as he took another sip of his coffee. "Mamoru has his reasons, so let him be."

"Yes, Sir Motoki, Mamoru's knight and shining armor, always saving Mamoru from our pestering" laughed Urawa before a pencil bounced off his head.

"Har har," Mamoru said as he finished his drink up, staring at his watch. "Anywho, time for my chemistry class, so I've got to run."

"Go on, Doctor Chiba, save lives, blow up labs, and flirt with your insanely hot professor!" laughed Yuuichiro.

"Oh you know it," Mamoru sarcastically replied, picking up his backpack and his cup of coffee, heading towards the door. Not two steps into his walk did he collide with someone, the hot liquid falling on his khakis, causing him to jump a mile. "HOT!" he cried as he tried to wipe the hot liquid off of his leg, looking around for something absorbent to wipe the drink with.

"I'm so sorry!" a girls voice cried out as she handed him napkins, "I'm so clumsy, I didn't mean to do this!" she said, her voice trembling with embarrassment as he looked up at her.

He was about to speak, but his voice got caught in his throat. His deep blue eyes came in contact with a beautiful set of cornflower blue eyes, followed by a cute little nose and rosy pink lips. Wisps of blonde hair fell in front of her face, which were falling out of... two buns... with locks of golden hair streaming down from them.

He knew that hair style. He knew those eyes.

It couldn't be her. It... couldn't be that simple.

"It's... it's okay," he managed to choke out, her eyes once filled with embarrassment now relaxing.

"I'm glad you're okay, and again, I'm very sorry," she said softly as she bowed down, then turned around and left.

He stuttered out a incoherent goodbye, his mouth slightly ajar with shock. He quickly stumbled to the door as he watched her, waving to three other girls who he assumed were her friends. Even as she walked away with the girls, he couldn't help but continue to watch her, his heart racing. "It couldn't be her, it can't be that simple," he tried telling himself. Repeating those words, he walked out of the coffee shop and headed to his class, ignoring the snickers his friends were making about him "finally noticing someone." As he opened the large oak door to his chemistry class, he could have sworn his eyes were playing tricks on him because sitting in the back row, second seat from the right, was the blonde haired blue eyed girl, looking beyond nervous as she strummed her fingers on her textbook.

"Someone is either playing a cruel trick on me, or else fate stepped in," Mamoru muttered under his breath as he walked to the back of the room, determined to find out who she was. He sat in the seat next to her, the sound of him dropping his books on his desk startling her. She looked over to him, her cheeks tinting pink as she recognized him.

"Uhm, hello again," she quietly spoke as she diverted her eyes away from him. "How are your, uhm, pants?"

"A bit damp, but slowly drying," he chuckled. He saw that she still was flustered by her accident, so he gently nudged her. "Don't worry about it, really," he said reassuringly, hoping she's ease up a bit.

"I'm really sorry about that," she said again, "At least let me make it up to you, I could buy you another drink to replace the one I spilled on you."

"Like I said, don't worry about it," he replied. "I won't hold it against you forever."

"That's always –- hey, what happened to don't worry about it?" she asked, surprised.

"I'm just teasing you," he laughed as he continued to play it cool. "So tell me, what's your name?"

"Oh, it's—"

"Well, I'm glad to see we have a full house in here this semester!" a voice pipped up, interrupting the introduction. "If you're schedule says Chemistry 101... then this is not your room. This is Chemistry 251 - Organic Chemistry. Let's start by taking attendance..."

The professor worked her way down her list, alphabetically calling out each one of her students names. When she called Mamoru's and he raised his hand, he hoped that the mystery girl would have recognized or would have reacted, but she continued to sit there as she waited for her name to be called. He slouched a bit; he was hoping that she would react to his name, then he would have known whether or not it was Usagi. All seemed lost until the professor got into the "T's" of the role, then the two words he was waiting to hear left the professors lips.

"Tsukino Usagi."

His eyes fixated themselves on her as he watched her raise her hand in response, then place it back down. It was her; he felt like jumping for joy, like screaming at the top of his lungs... his best friend, the love of his life was sitting not 5 feet away from him.

He concluded: fate had stepped in; the torture in his heart on where she might be was over.

-------

Class couldn't have gone any slower; Mamoru impatiently looked at his watch every thirty seconds, anticipating the moment where he would be able to question Usagi. He periodically looked over in her general direction, watching how dedicated and focused she was. He looked back down to his notes and sighed, he hadn't written a single piece of information let alone absorb what was being discussed. Rather, he was debating what he should ask her; be blunt and say "hey, remember me!" or play dumb and say "hey, you looked familiar at first but your name rang a bell?"

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw people grabbing their backpacks and exiting the classroom. He looked at the seat next to him and saw a vacant seat, causing him to snap quickly back into reality. He grabbed his books and quickly exited his seat, quickly leaving the classroom to try and locate her. He saw her standing outside the class room, looking around for someone. When he exited the room, she smiled and walked over to him, then handed him her notebook.

"I saw you weren't paying any attention, if you'd like you can copy my notes," she spoke with a smile on her face. Mamoru slowly reached out and grabbed the notebook, thrown off by not just her kindness but the fact that she was paying attention to him during the class. As he held the notebook in his hand, he took this as a sign to "try and get to know her," so he thought up a quick way to try and get her to accompany him with something.

"Thank you very much. If you want, we can go over to that bench over there and I can quickly copy them so you can have your notebook back," he swiftly said, hoping she would agree. He saw her look at her watch, then she nodded as she spoke; "I have another class in about an hour, so okay." The two of them walked over to the bench and sat down, where he took out his notebook and began copying the notes. As he was copying, he bantered in his head what he should ask her first; he had never been so nervous in his life, not for anything. Usually he was so collected and cool inside and out but today, he was surprised he didn't run screaming through the halls.

"Mamoru?" a voice interrupted his thinking. He looked over to her, which was immediatly followed up by another question. "That is your name, right? Mamoru?"

"Uh... yea. Chiba Mamoru," he replied, still hoping the name would help her recognize him.

"Okay, I'm glad I remembered something from that class!" she laughed as she folded her hands in her lap. "My name's Tsukino Usagi," she happily spoke as she playfully held her hand out, signifying a hand shake. He smiled, then accepted her hand and shook it. "I remember, it's the one thing I actually remember hearing in that entire session," he said. She laughed as she took her hand back, then placed it in her lap again.

"So, Mamoru, where are you from?" she asked, watching him copy her notes into his own book.

"Hiroshima," he replied, "but I'm originally from Juuban."

"Really?" she said, surprised, "that's where I grew up as well!"

"No kidding," he smiled, trying to downplay the situation. "Where in Juuban?"

"Actually, I lived in an orphanage until I was eleven, when I was adopted. Then I moved right here to Tokyo," she replied.

Mamoru paused in his writing; he blinked a few times as he took in the information... it was her. It was really her! That statement alone proved it! He felt like dancing, like crying, like grabbing her and hugging the life out of her His thoughts were interrupted when she asked: "Where in Juuban are you from?" He paused for quite a bit of time before he answered, knowing this would lead up to the answer of the question he had been wondering ever since he left.

"... Juuban Children's Orphanage," he replied as he stopped writing, then looked up at her.

"No way," she said. "You mean you are from the same place I am? When were you there?"

"From when I was three to about thirteen. I left there about seven years ago," he spoke, hoping inside he would remember her.

"I left there seven years ago as well; I was there for a long time. Why don't I remember you?"

His body went numb. He should have known, that accident was guaranteed memory loss, and no matter how much he hoped, he knew that the statistics were working against him. He felt his heart ache as he smiled a sad smile to her, then handed her the notebook.

"I wish I knew," he replied, then got up and began to walk away, leaving her confused at the bench.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello everybody!! Yes, I know it's been... almost a year (holy moly), but I could never figure out how to word this part of the story out correctly. But now that I'm working on a computer all day with so much free time, it finally came to me! So now, I was able to complete the third chapter of my story! Let me know what you think, and if I should continue or this story is a dud.

THANKS!

--

She didn't know why, but she continued to sit on the bench for a half hour after he walked away.

For some reason, unknown to her, she felt like someone important to her walked away from her, somewhat similar to when she would have an argument with a former boyfriend or a close friend. Yet, she had only met this guy today, even if he left a lasting impression on her. She wished he would have stayed to talk with her, to discuss how he transitioned from living in a house full of kids to being with a family, if the family was good to him, stuff that she had to deal with.

There was one thing, though, that made her heart wrench the more she thought about it: the look in his eyes when she said she didn't know him. Unintentionally, she touched the base of her head behind her ear, recalling the accident and major memory loss. She knew basics, like her name, but everything concerning names of friends, parental figures, favorite foods, and major things that defined her were lost. She had to re-learn everyone's names, re-try foods to discover which her favorite was. It only took her about four months to fully recover, but she never had a flashback or a sudden regain of everything prior to the accident. For all she knew, this was a blessing, but it could also be a terrible misfortune. And that look in that guys eyes made her question the ongoing battle in her mind of good versus bad even more.

She stretched her legs, realizing she was pondering her thoughts for quite a while. Smiling, she decided that she was going to try something different; rather than just trying to get to know him, she was going to see if she could remember him. The look in his eyes made her think that he was once something special, maybe a brother-type figure, or even a possible relative. If he knew about her accident, then maybe he wasn't going to say in hopes of protecting her. Her thoughts were interrupted, though, as she heard her name being called out not to far away. Looking up, she smiled as she saw a lean, young man running to her, carrying a duffel bag while sporting a red jersey. His long black hair was pulled back into a pony tail, trailing behind her, as he had a goofy grin stretched across his face. She stood up and faced him, then laughed as she called back to him:

"Seiya!"

--

Mamoru's lips were in a stiff frown for the rest of the day. When he met up with his friends for a "study session," he didn't press that they should study; he just sat there and wallowed in his own thoughts. For a while, the guys were cheerful and played their Xbox 360, but after an hour they realized something was wrong if Mamoru wasn't pushing them to crack a book. Even when they asked him what was wrong, he just grabbed his bag and left the room, clearly flustered in his own thoughts. He ended up walking back to his dorm room and slammed the door, then briskly walked to his room, slamming that door as well.

He should have known that she wouldn't recognize him. The doctors said that the accident had a high chance of memory loss, and he thought he could come to accept that he may not remember her. Sighing, he raked his fingers through his hair, coming to terms that in the end, he never accepted that she did not remember her. Perhaps it was pathetic that he was so overworked about a close friend from ten years ago not knowing who he was, but his heart ached every time he thought about a life without her smiling face in it. Groaning, he fell back onto his bed, resting his head on his pillow.

'I guess if anything, I could try and befriend her,' he thought to himself, 'then maybe something will trigger. If fate brought her to me, I'll be damned if I'm going to lose her again.'

Sitting up, he smiled a determined grin as he opened his book.

"Enough with the wallowing, now that I have a set plan, it's time to study!"

--

Usagi smiled as she rested her head on the upper-arm of her boyfriend, gently clinging to his arm as they walked to their morning class together. She shyly looked up at him, his blue eyes filled with a childlike wonder as he walked through the hallways of the University. Whenever she looked into his eyes, all she could think about was how the two of them met back in high school in Tokyo.

_She laughed as she waved goodbye to her friend Minako, going the opposite way down the hallway over to her first day of advanced placement chemistry class. The majority of her friends couldn't begin to understand her fascination with chemistry; to them it was all memorization and annoyance. For Usagi, she loved being able to mix and create different formulas and experiment with them. Before she walked into her classroom, she stopped at a drinking fountain, leaning over to take a sip of water when a soccer ball slammed into the back of her head._

"_HEY!" she shouted, turning around with an angry expression written in her eyes. She picked up the soccer ball and threw it down the hallway, bitter that some jock thought it would be funny to throw the ball at her head._

"_I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… hey, what was that for?!" a male's voice boomed as he went to apologize, and then frowned at her childish behavior in throwing the ball down the hallway._

"_Excuse me, but was that ball yours?" Usagi asked, crossing her arms._

"_As a matter of fact, it was. And I meant to apologize, but now, I think you should apologize to me for throwing my ball down the hallway!" Seiya shouted._

"_I don't think so! You hit me in the head! Why should I have to go get it?!" she shouted back, equally as loud as he was._

"_Because it was an accident!" _

"_Yes, because balls are always being thrown around in the air, hitting people. It's so common to accidentally step in the way of a flying ball," she sarcastically muttered._

"_Forget you," he said, cross, as he ran down the hallway, picking up the ball that rolled into a space between two vending machines._

_She walked into the classroom, a few minutes late thanks to Mr. Jerk-Jock, and then sat down in the back, where the only available table was left. She opened her notebook and began to jot down the information on the board when the door opened, another student coming into class late. Her curiosity died down once she realized it was the jock holding the soccer ball under his arm, his face red from running to the classroom. _

"_You're late sir, you can park yourself in the back next to Ms. Tsukino," the teacher stated as he turned his back and continued to write on the board._

_They both groaned as they had to sit next to one another, moving their chairs as far apart as possible. Over the months, they began to talk, and by the holidays, they were good friends. When Valentines Day rolled around, he asked her to the formal dance, and at the end of the night, the two were a couple._

She giggled as she realized that a silly childish act brought two complete strangers together, and she loved spending every second with him. He was on the college soccer team – a starter – and was a great defense player. She watched every game since August, always supporting him. He really did know how to complement her, and he made her very happy.

He looked down at her, his blue eyes sparkling as he laughed at her goofy grin. "What are you thinking about, Usa?"

"Oh, just reminiscing on the good old days," she laughed as they walked into their classroom, taking her seat in the back at the same table as Seiya.

"Oh, really?" he laughed as he pulled out a notebook, a pen, and his literature book. She smiled as she pulled out her class materials as well; she loved that the two of them took school together. While she was a chemistry major, Seiya was a literature major. He was very bright when it came to Shakespeare, was a brilliant actor and singer, but she could see that his passion was truly soccer. She was about to reply when the professor came in, so she faced the board, opened her notebook, ready for today's lesson.

--

Mamoru was walking with Yuuichiro, Ryo, and Urawa, since he was on his way to the library, which passed by the soccer field. As usual, the three of them pestered Mamoru to join the team, which he declined, saying his studies took place.

"You do realize, Mamoru, that students with activities as well as studies impress corporate boards and people in high places," Yuuichiro stated.

"Yea, you look more rounded," Ryo laughed, another attempt to get Mamoru to give in.

"You guys, how many times are you going to try and persuade me?" he stated as he continued to walk.

"Mamoru, you're letting that beautiful talent go to waste!" Urawa said, "You would kick any rookie off the team in two seconds!"

"Yea, like that new freshman. He thinks he's so great since he's here on a sports scholarship," Ryo said as he rolled his eyes.

"Ryo, aren't you here on a sports scholarship?" Mamoru poked as his friends laughed.

"Oh shove –" The three guys stopped as they realized Mamoru had stopped walking with them, staring at a blonde girl. They snickered, realizing this was the same girl that spilled the coffee on him yesterday, but took a closer look, seeing that she was talking cute with another guy. The three of them watched intensely as they saw Mamoru's eyes full of jealousy. The petite blonde was running her finger up and down the chest of the rookie soccer player they were talking about moments ago, then looked back at Mamoru as fire erupted in his eyes as she stood on her tip-toes to kiss him goodbye. She then waved as she watched him run down into the field, as she walked up to the bleachers. Once Mamoru caught up to them, he continued to walk briskly away from the field.

"So, uhm, Mamoru, what was that all about?" Yuuichiro asked, breaking the ice.

"Nothing," he quickly responded.

"No, no," Urawa stated as he stood in front of him, stopping him, "Seriously, dude, what's with the intense look of death?"

"Back off," he harshly said.

"You know," Ryo said, "That's the new rookie I mentioned. Personally, if it was me, I'd beat him at his own game to win the fair lady." With that comment, he gave a knowingly smile and walked down to the field, where the guys followed, leaving Mamoru to stand there in thought.

'You know, Mamoru, that wouldn't be such a bad idea,' he thought.

"But I gave up playing soccer," he said to himself as he kept walking to the library.

'You gave it up for her, but there she is, watching someone else play the sport you once lived for.'

"No, I want to be a doctor, I need to study," he re-assured himself.

'There's nothing wrong with playing soccer, you fool, especially if she's going to watch.'

That thought shut him up.

'Perhaps it would help her remember you, seeing you play the sport you two always played together at the orphanage.'

He could have sworn he saw the words "SOLD" plastered in front of him as he turned around, headed towards the field, shouting for the guys to come back up to talk to him.

--

"Now, I know you guys are my three best players, but why should I let someone new come on to my team that I have never even heard of? I have many potential guys that I am planning to scout out, but you want me to take him?" Coach Tomoe said, crossing his arms as he looked at the three men.

"Coach, seriously, you've got to see him play," Ryo said. "He's better than the three of us put together!"

"He really is, coach. He never played because of some personal issue that none of us know of, but if he says he wants to play, then sir, you should give him a chance," Yuuichiro stated, backing Ryo up.

"What's his name again?" Coach Tomoe asked, giving in.

"Chiba Mamoru," Urawa said, grinning. "Trust me sir, you don't be let down."

"Is he here?" Coach Tomoe asked, "If he's going to be given a chance, I want to see now."

"I'll go get him sir!" Urawa said as he ran out of the locker room, where Mamoru happened to be waiting.

"Coach, he really deserves this. He's a fantastic student and your jaw will drop when you see him, and you know how good we are," Yuuichiro said, cockily. "If we think he's good, then he's got to be, right?"

"Calm down, boys, let me make the decision," Coach Tomoe said. Looking over, he saw a tall young man walking along side of Urawa, carrying a small duffel bag of his own. Immediately, he walked up to the coach, holding out his hand.

"Chiba Mamoru. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, coach," he said as Coach Tomoe shook his hand, impressed by the up front introduction.

"Nice to meet you too, Chiba-san. Now, go change and let me see what you've got to offer."

"Yes, sir!" Mamoru said as he walked off, a few moments later returning in a pair of shorts, cleats, and a Hiroshima Tech gym shirt.

"Hiroshima Tech, huh? Coach Tomoe asked, "I see how you know these three."

"Yes, sir," he nodded as he began to follow him out of the locker room and to the field. As he walked on to the grassy stretch of land, he felt overwhelmed considering he forbade himself to join a team for over ten years. His heart was racing as his stomach told him this was wrong, but when he looked over to see Usagi leaning over the railing talking to the black haired player, he felt adrenaline rushing through his veins. He smiled as he tightened the laces on his cleats, looked over at the coach, who rolled the ball over to him.

"Alright, Chiba, show me what you've got!"

Looking slightly over to the crowd, he saw Usagi look up for a moment, smiling in his general direction. Feeling more confidence than ever, he began to dribble the ball to the goal, going at a very fast pace without losing control, using kicks that Coach Tomoe hadn't seen his players use in years. When he saw Mamoru kick the ball into the goal post with such velocity and accuracy, he applauded. As Mamoru jogged back, Coach Tomoe placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Now, Chiba, that was impressive, but that doesn't mean you've won me over yet. Let's see how you do against a few players. Yuuichiro, Ryo, Urawa, you go against Mamoru." He looked around his field, seeing which players still hovered around after practice. "Seiya!" he shouted, "You and Taiki get over here! I need to borrow you for a try-out!"

Seiya and Taiki jogged over to the coach, where they were informed of being on Mamoru's team. "Now, boys, I want to see how Mamoru would do in center, Seiya, you defend, Taiki, you're his right wing. Now let's see how you can do with him."

"Yes, sir," they both said as they got behind Mamoru, snickering to themselves, thinking he wouldn't have a chance going against the three star players on the team. Once the coach blew the whistle, they saw as Mamoru quickly took control of the ball from the center ring, dodging Yuuichiro as he came right at him. He quickly passed it off to Taiki, who was impressed by the quick and accuracy of the pass, but was apprehensive once Ryo charged at him, stealing the ball from him. Mamoru quickly juggled his feet to turn around, noticing Seiya covering the goal, then watching as he quickly got the ball out of Ryo's possession and passed it over to Mamoru with terrible accuracy. Mamoru quickly ran to meet with the rolling ball, catching up to it, then gave a powerful kick into the goal, passing by Urawa into the net. He gave a triumphant smile as he looked over to Coach Tomoe, his clipboard in his hand, grinning a winner's grin, seeing stars in his eyes.

"Chiba, my boy, welcome to the team!"

--

Seiya walked away from the celebration, seeing the three juniors giving high fives to the new guy, rolling his eyes as he walked back over to Usagi, who was looking over at the group. He grabbed his towel from the bench, looking up at her.

"Ne, Usa, what is so interesting about that scene?" he asked, kind of irritated.

"Oh, nothing, Seiya, I'm just surprised he made the team that quickly. Usually try-outs are a lot harder and longer than that, aren't they?" she asked, putting her index finger to her chin.

"Yea, they do," he stated, "But he has the support of those three guys."

"Oh, I see," she said. "He did look really good out there, though."

"He's just back-up, I doubt he'll see any playing time," Seiya said, a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"What's wrong, Seiya?" Usagi asked as she looked at him packing his stuff up, swinging his duffel bag over his shoulder.

"Nothing," he quickly said, "I'm going to go change. I'll see you later."

Usagi frowned as she watched him walk away, but couldn't keep her eyes off of the guy who she couldn't get out of her mind celebrating making the team of the sport that she couldn't stay away from.

--

Let me know what you guys think!!

Much love!!


	4. Chapter 4

I decided to keep going – hurray! The only problem is that this chapter is VERY boring and it feels dragged out, but I find it necessary to help with the plot line. As most of you can tell, the story is mainly based around Mamoru and trying to make Usagi remember him, but I'm going to branch off with a few other romances and couplings to give it a more rounded touch. Plus, it's going to help develop more of a sense of the characters, so please don't hate ;-; I promise I'll give a more exciting chapter soon!

--

"This is so awesome! I mean, seriously, us guys are going to dominate the field!" Ryo cheered as he slung his arm around Mamoru, partying at one of the nightclubs in downtown Tokyo. He held up his beer bottle in victory, and then took a swig as he gave Yuuichiro a high five.

"Man, Mamoru, this is sweet! It's only taken us YEARS to persuade you!" Yuuichiro laughed as he leaned up against the bar, placing his empty bottle down on the counter. It was quickly replaced with a fresh one, which he quickly claimed and drank down.

Mamoru smiled as he held his own bottle in his hand, barely touching it. He never enjoyed the taste of alcohol, especially beer. Once in a great while he'd have a beer or two, but only on social events, such as this. He leaned back against the bar, watching the guys trying to get close with a slew of scantily clad women, using cheesy dance moves that pretty much were a bust. He burst out in laughter as he saw Urawa try to dance with a leggy tall brunette, who pushed him away, causing him to fall over from too much alcohol consumption. His eyes trailed as he watched the brunette head back over to a group of girls in a fit of giggles. He was about to take a sip of his beer until the blonde buns atop of a girls head caught his eye once more; there she was, laughing with a bunch of friends, holding a tropical looking drink in her hand. He must have been staring for a while because he noticed her blue eyes connect with his, a smile and a wave following immediately after. Caught off guard by her stare, he gave a goofy grin before waving back. Then he looked back, realizing how much of an idiot he must have looked like.

'C'mon Mamoru, can't you at least look a little impressive?' he thought to himself.

"Geez, Mamoru, can you make it any more obvious who you're lusting after?" a voice chimed in, causing Mamoru to look up. He laughed as he held up his beer bottle, nodding his head in recognition of his best friend standing right in front of him.

"Motoki, glad to see you're alive and kicking," Mamoru teased as he received a punch in the arm.

"Shove it, you knew I had some business I needed to take care of," he said as he plopped down on the barstool next to Mamoru, ordering himself a beer.

"You mean getting rid of your latest squeeze? What was her name, Keisha? Keina?" Mamoru said with a wise-ass smirk on his face.

"Keiko, you jackass," Motoki said as he grabbed the beer that was placed on the counter. "And yes, she was getting way too clingy for me."

"Ah, yes, because we all know that Motoki can't stay in a relationship for more than 2 weeks," laughed Mamoru as he took another sip, surprised he actually finished the fowl tasting alcohol.

"Hey, you know that's not true," Motoki said in a cross voice, "It's not my fault Reika wanted to study abroad and dismiss our relationship."

Mamoru frowned. Motoki was right; through out high school, he was dating this beautiful, tall, chestnut haired girl named Reika. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a love for history, especially archeological facts. To be honest, Mamoru thought the two of them would have married, had she not taken the opportunity to go to Africa to study fossils.

"Hey man, sorry about that," Mamoru sincerely said as he picked up the new chilled bottle of beer that was sitting where the empty one once lay.

"No big, man, time to pick up some fresh meat!" Motoki laughed as his eyes grazed the dance floor. "Ok, someone needs to explain to me what the hell Urawa is doing because that is the most horrific thing I have ever seen!"

--

"Usagiiiiii," a high pitched voice shrieked, snapping her out of her train of thought.

"What is it, Minako?" Usagi said, looking over at one of her best friends.

"That guy you keep checking out is so hot!" Minako squeaked, running her fingers through her sunny blonde hair, trying to primp her already styled hair.

"Minako-chan, I'm not checking him out, we've just bumped into each other on occasion," Usagi defended, crossing her arms.

Minako's eyes glittered as she gazed over the guy that caught Usagi's attention. She nodded in approval, grinning to herself, thoughts of matchmaker playing in her mind. Minako always thought of Usagi as a sister rather than a best friend; in fact, many people mistake the two of them for being twins. Both girls had sunny blonde hair, blue eyes, and a slender figure. The only difference between the two of them is while Usagi was more prone to studies, Minako was an athlete. She won a partial scholarship to Tokyo University based off of being on the Volleyball team. As she looked at Usagi drink her tropical drink, she thought about how much fun it would be for her to loosen up a bit. For Kami's sake, she was drinking a Shirley temple rather than alcohol! She looked back over to the cutie down the bar, noticing his dark alluring features: black shiny hair, sapphire colored eyes, a tone figure…too bad he wasn't blonde, otherwise she'd go after him. He had a mysterious aura to him as well, she concluded, as she looked back at the serious Usagi. She frowned as she thought about Usagi's current relationship status with Seiya. In fact, she hated Seiya and everything he stood for. While Minako was an athlete as well, she didn't use it to make herself some wonderful star. Seiya was all about being a name, a star, and it got very old very fast. Whenever Usagi brought him around, he was always trying to show off in one way or another, and it really irritated her very quickly. He was so stuck up, and Usagi was so down to Earth. Personally, she couldn't understand what attracted Usagi to Seiya in the first place.

"Mina-chan, who's that sexpot you keep staring at?" a voice broke out.

"Yea, he's gorgeous!"

Minako turned around to see two of their best friends Rei and Makoto looking over her shoulder, staring at the dark haired stranger.

"Oh, that's Usagi's new eye candy," Minako teased as Usagi blushed.

"Mina-chan!" Usagi hissed as she shot a death glare. "I have Seiya, so there is no need to stare at another man."

"Then do you mind if we go talk to him?" Rei asked as she brushed her bangs out of her face, her eyes grazing the stranger at the bar with the other guys.

"YES! I mean no, go ahead," Usagi shrieked before biting her lip, looking back at her drink.

"SEE! He IS an interest!" Makoto cheered, hoping that Usagi was loosening up.

"I'd tell you why I was looking at him, but since you're all teasing me, forget it!" she grinned as she got up and walked out to the dance floor, her boyfriend waving for her to come out there.

"Usaaaaaaaagi-chan," the three of them whined before following her back out to have a good time.

--

The next morning, Mamoru woke up to banging on his door, hearing something about 'practice' and 'ass out of bed.' He groaned as he rolled over; he didn't put the two together: practice and early morning. He forced himself out of bed, sliding on a pair of blue training shorts and a Nike t-shirt, clothing he usually wore to bed that proved to be useful in training. He grabbed his cleats and a few items he had laying around before meeting up with the guys, anxiously waiting for practice.

"You guys are going to be the death of me," he grumbled.

"Yea, but here's the thing. We got your ass into the tryout, and if you mess up, it's our asses that'll be fried by the coach, so when we wake you up, you get up," Ryo grinned as he mocked a thumbs up.

"Assholes," he muttered as he filled his water bottle up, then walked out the door to practice. As the three of them walked outside towards the field, he looked over and saw Usagi at the coffee cart that usually circulated around the buildings.

"Hey guys, I'll be back," Mamoru said as he made a sly turn away from them towards the coffee cart. He ignored his friends' protest about drink coffee before practice, then trying to conceal his grin, he stood behind her in line.

"Here you go, miss," the coffee-cart guy smiled as he handed her a small cup.

"Thank you," she said politely before turning around, just shy of bumping into Mamoru, causing him to jump back.

"Spilling coffee on me once is plenty, please don't soak me again!" he joked as he put his hands up in a mock defense, smiling from ear to ear.

"You're so rude!" Usagi squealed as she lightly hit him on the arm. "So much for forgive and forget, huh?"

"I forgive, but my pants have yet to see the stain lifted," he laughed. He briefly turned his attention to the coffee-cart guy, ordering a small black coffee, then turned back to Usagi. "So where are you heading this early in the morning?"

"Oh, uhm," she stuttered, "I'm going to the soccer field."

"Ah," he said as he grabbed the cup of coffee and dropped some yen into the workers hand, "Your boyfriend, right?"

"Ah, yea," she said with an uneasy tone, which threw Mamoru off for a moment. "He's the starting right wing."

"I saw him out there, he's pretty good." Mamoru said with false happiness, causing Usagi to beam.

"Yea, you guys worked well together out there. I hope that you guys get along," she said with an apprehensive tone.

"Hope? Who wouldn't like me," he said as he shot a egotistic winners grin, making her laugh.

"He just gets… jealous easily. As much as I don't want to say it, I can tell he's threatened by you."

"Me? I'm just a new player; I probably won't even see game time."

"We'll see, won't we?" she said as she started walking away, waving at him as she headed towards the bleachers.

Mamoru stared at his full cup of coffee, and then tossed it in the garbage. He walked down to the field, where he met up with the guys and began practicing.

--

"That new guy is pretty good."

"As much as I don't want to admit it, he really is."

"Will you two shut up?" Seiya said as he tightened the laces on his cleats. He looked over at his two best friends, Yaten and Taiki, before crossing his arms, narrowing his eyes.

"I guarantee the only reason he made it on the team was because of those three suck-ups," he muttered.

"You're just pissed at the idea that someone may take away your fame, huh?" Taiki boldly said, receiving a death stare from Seiya. "Oh come on, we're not oblivious. We know about how this is going to be your year, how you are going to take Urawa, Yuuichiro, and Ryo down, that you'll be the favorite."

"We heard it while you were in the shower," Yaten quickly added in before running out to the field.

"You guys are assholes," Seiya stated. "It should be us three that are praised; we're younger and fresh talent."

"Seiya, they'll be done in 2 seasons, and then it'll be us. We have to prove ourselves, first," Taiki said as he crossed his arms. "You're the only one of us who's getting serious play time, so count your blessings."

"I won't until I see the three… no, four of them gone," Seiya grinned as he jogged out onto the field, Taiki behind him.

--

Usagi sat in the bleachers, staring at the new player. 'What is it about him that makes me unable to stop thinking about him," she questioned herself. She closed her eyes as she felt the breeze kick in, her hair rippling as she heard team mates laughing, the coach yelling, and counting off during exercises. As the wind picked up, she smelled a beautiful scent: daisies mixed with fresh cut grass.

Suddenly, a slideshow appeared in her head: an orange sky, a little girl sitting in the grass, a young boy with black hair and blue eyes ticking the girl with a daisy. Her body jolted as she opened her eyes, then she doubled over in pain, resting her head on her hand.

"What.. what was that?" she asked as she dropped her coffee, the image of the blue eyes of the little boy burned in her memory


	5. Chapter 5

I'm glad you guys didn't think my work was boring; it makes me want to dance::randomly starts shimmying across the dance floor:: ANY WHO… here's the next chapter; I'm going to start developing Usagi and Mamoru's relationship more, which makes me VERY excited to draft out. Let me know if you guys like it or not, I love hearing your comments!!

--

"So what did you think of the seminar, Minako-chan?"

"Rei-chan, why did you drag me along? You know I'm not into history or any of that boring stuff!"

"Minako-chan, it was a discussion about the Samurai and the feudal era of Japan! How can you be uninterested about our country?!"

"I lived in London, you don't see me ecstatic that I lived in the same county that has a queen, do you!?"

"What does THAT have to do with anything?!"

_What was that all about?_

"Everything! It shows I don't care about history!"

"Jeez, I should have brought Usagi-chan along over you; she could at least pretend to be interested!

_Those blue eyes…that little boy…_

"Hello! Usagi's not interested in that stuff, either, right Usagi-chan?"

_It all seems familiar…_

"Usagi-chan?"

_I get goose bumps every time I think of that scent… like it's tickling me…_

"Odango Atama?"

_I don't know what to ma—_

"USAGI-CHAN!!"

Usagi blinked a few times, stares of violet and blue meeting with her own.

"Oh, I'm sorry guys, what were you guys talking about?"

"Oh forget it, Usagi," Rei said before resting back against the couch, pulling out a magazine.

"Daydreaming again, Usagi-chan?" Minako smiled as she reached for a piece of chocolate sitting in the candy dish.

"Ano…. Yea, I was," she laughed as she took a handful of popcorn, and then began to throw the pieces into her mouth.

"About a certain black hair blue eyed hottie at the bar?" Minako slyly stated, causing Usagi to cough out her popcorn.

"WHAT! NO!" she said as she turned beat red.

"I don't know, Odango, I think you were," Rei sided with Minako, causing Usagi to turn red even more.

"I was not," she said, her cheeks still flushed at the mention of Mamoru. "Actually, when I was watching Seiya, I had a weird flashback, I think."

"What?" the two girls said in chorus, putting down their magazines.

"Yea, it was really weird. You know how I lost all memory from before I was 10 of anybody I knew? Well, I think it has to do with that."

"What happened in it?" Rei asked, her curiosity at its' max.

"It was only brief images, colors, and scents. I saw an orange sky, a large building, the scent of grass and daisies, and a little boy with black hair and sapphire eyes laughing. The more I think about it, the building makes me think of the orphanage, but I'm not so sure," Usagi explained, bringing her legs up to her chest and hugging them. "I wish I got more of a picture, you know? It was only about 5 seconds of fast forward movements."

Minako and Rei both put their arms around their friend, knowing all about her life before adoption.

"Cheer up, Odango Atama, as you have said many times, maybe remembering isn't a good thing, ya know?" Rei said as she sat back down in her bean bag chair.

"Yea, but the thing is, it feels like something is missing," Usagi sadly said, "like I don't know the whole package of who I am."

The three girls sat in silence for a little while, thinking about how hard it must be not to know who you are, who your parents are. Rei and Minako both idolized how strong Usagi was for that and that it didn't get the better of her. Being adopted at age 10 with no memories of anything, going into a household with parents that hardly paid attention to her after they had a "miracle baby," they were impressed that she managed to get into a prestigious school studying chemistry. The fact that the parents even paid for her education was even more surprising, considering they were always so wrapped up adoring Shingo. With a lack of attention, a vulnerable teenage girl could have easily turned to drugs or alcohol as a cry for attention. Instead, Usagi buried herself in her studies so that she could make everyone proud, including herself.

"Don't worry, Usagi-chan, it'll all fall into place," Minako smiled with a cheerful wink. "Now stop moping, it's girls night out and I say it's time we watch Ultra Maniac!"

--

"Good morning, Usagi-chan," a male voice boomed, causing her to jump out of her chair in the library.

"Mamoru-san!" Usagi laughed as she recollected herself. "You scared me!"

Mamoru laughed as he took a seat next to her. "That was the point."

"So, ready to study?" she smiled as she opened up her textbook, passages highlighted with written notes on the side.

"Yes, ma'am!" he laughed as he opened his book to the same page. He couldn't help but grin as the two of them discussed chemistry; there was a big test covering the first 7 chapters in a few days, and the two of them decided to team up and study with each other so they could do well on the exam. He loved that she had such a passion for chemistry; her intellectual side of her made her that more attractive in his eyes, considering studies were the main priority in his life. Becoming a doctor was everything to him.

"Mamoru-san?" the sweet voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Yea?"

"Coffee break?" she suggested, rubbing her temples. "I can't stare at a textbook for over an hour without my morning caffeine jolt."

"It's been an hour already?" he asked surprised. He looked over at the clock on the wall, reading 10:30am. "Wow, so it is."

"Come on, there's a coffee cart right outside. Let's go get a cup and take a breather. It'll be good to get some fresh air," she smiled.

"Sure thing," he smiled back. He stood up while leaving their books and bags scattered on the table, and then walked outside to the coffee cart. The scent of the fall wind was quite welcoming from the smell of old leather books, as well as the wind lightly picking up. Soon, the aroma of coffee was surrounding him as he walked up to the coffee-cart cashier.

"Hi there, what can I get for you?"

"I'll take a medium caramel iced coffee with whipped cream," Usagi said cheerfully as she eyed the coffee cake in the glass.

"And I'll have a large coffee, black," he paused, "and two pieces of coffee cake."

"Your total is 700 yen, sir."

Mamoru handed him 800 yen, ignoring Usagi's 500 yen she was offering. Once he received his change, he handed Usagi over her drink and a piece of cake, taking his own and sitting on the bench nearby.

"Mamoru-san, you didn't have to do that!" she said as she tried to hand him the coins.

"It was my treat, enjoy it," he laughed as he took a bite of the cake. "Wow, this is pretty good."

Usagi also took a bite, the cinnamon flavor bursting in her mouth. "Wow, this really IS good!"

"You've never tried it before?" Mamoru asked.

"No, I don't really have a great amount of money to throw around. Usually I get a coffee around breakfast, but that's it. And that is only because my coffee maker in my dorm is busted," she sighed, thinking about her very limited funds.

"Really? When was the last time you went out for dinner?" he asked her as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Dinner? Uhm… before school started at least. My parents really didn't do family dinners if you know what I mean," she sighed again.

"Let me take you out sometime," he casually suggested.

"What?" Usagi said surprised, almost dropping her cake.

"As friends. Let me take you out for a nice meal. I'm sure you'd rather have something more edible than instant ramen."

Usagi thought about it for a little while, her mouth watering at the thought of a plate of gourmet food placed in front of her. She thought of Seiya's reaction, but her taste buds were overpowering her mind right now. Plus, Mamoru was just her friend, right? Plus a past acquaintance… and she did want to get to know him.

"That sounds like fun," she smiled as she took the last bite of the coffee cake.

"How about tomorrow night then? I'll meet you in the courtyard?"

"Sounds good. Now, let's get back to those books!"

--

"Hi there, my name is Motoki."

Sky blue eyes met with jade green ones as she looked up from her book, smiling back at the cute guy as she brushed her blonde bangs out of her eyes.

"Minako," she stated as she held her hand out.

He gave a winners smile as he took her hand, lightly shaking it.

"I have this friend, and I think he's interested in your friend…"

"Yes, and from what I can see, I believe she's interested as well…"


End file.
